Movie Summary

The Blue Max is a 1966 war movie directed by John Guillermin. Set in Germany between 1916 and 1918, the film chronicles the life of Bruno Stachel, a ruthless young pilot of humble origins, as he strives to win Imperial Germany's highest military decoration - the "Blue Max" of the title. To win it, he must have 20 confirmed kills to his credit. As Stachel tries to prove himself against the squadron's aristocratic pilots, he draws the ire of the snobbish, condescending Willi von Klugermann, and also, for different reasons, that of the commanding officer, Heidemann, who clings to old-fashioned notions of honour in a changing world. In a series of dog fights, Stachel's single-mindedness puts the lives of his comrades in jeopardy; but, when Baron von Richthofen is shot down, the German war machine is in search of new heroes of a different, more egalitarian kind, and Stachel, as a man of the working class, fits the bill perfectly. Stachel gets his medal and achieves fame, but realises too late that the ruling class of Germany is too clever and too ruthless for him to win out.

More Info About This Movie

Categories

Themes

Psychological,
60s,
Classics,
Social Issues

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